EP 286 How to Get Started Hosting Retreats: The Beginners Guide

You want to host a retreat.  Great.

 

But please don't start by finding a gorgeous villa in Costa Rica and putting down a deposit.

There is a lot that should happen first.

 

In this solo episode of The Retreat Leaders Podcast, Shannon Jamail breaks down how to get started hosting retreats, based on what she has learned from leading and hosting more than 100 retreats and owning a retreat venue.

 

And the first step isn't picking a location, creating an itinerary, or designing a logo.

It's experiencing retreats yourself.

 

Shannon walks through seven steps aspiring retreat leaders should take to move from "I want to host a retreat someday" to creating a retreat business that is intentional, profitable, and sustainable.

 

You'll learn Shannon's 5 P's of retreat planning, why the first three come before Place and Price, how to build confidence before jumping into a multi-day retreat, why SEO and keyword research should happen earlier than most retreat leaders realize, and how to think beyond the retreat itself to create long-term relationships and recurring revenue.

 

If you're wondering how to start hosting retreats, this is where to begin.

 

In This Episode You'll Learn

• Why you should attend a retreat before trying to lead one
• Why working behind the scenes at a retreat can make you a better retreat leader
• The first three P's you need to define: Person, Pain/Problem, and Promise
• How to identify exactly who your retreat is for
• Why your retreat should solve a specific problem instead of trying to appeal to everyone
• How to create a clear retreat promise
• Why keyword research and SEO belong at the beginning of your retreat marketing strategy
• How to build confidence through workshops and smaller experiences before hosting multi-day retreats
• How to choose a retreat location that makes sense for your guest
• How to calculate retreat pricing based on real numbers and profit
• Legal considerations including contracts, waivers, and insurance
• Why your business strategy shouldn't end when the retreat does
• How coaching, masterminds, memberships, and other offers can create sustainable revenue after a retreat

The 7 Steps to Start Hosting Retreats

 

1. Attend a RetreatBefore you lead one, experience one.

Attend more than one if you can, but at minimum, attend one as a guest. Pay attention to the experience, not just the itinerary.

 

What worked?

 

What didn't?

 

How did the leader make you feel?

 

What happened before you arrived and after you left?

 

2. Work a Retreat

Don't let pride get in the way of experience.

 

Some of the best retreat leaders (hell business leaders) started behind the scenes.

 

Volunteer. Assist. Check people in. Help with food. Carry bags. Clean up.

 

See what actually goes into creating a retreat when you're not the person sitting in the workshop.

 

Wanna work one of our retreats? Start here: https://mindbodycomplete.com/work-exchange-program/

 

3. Start With the First 3 P's

Before all the pretty stuff:

 

PERSON: Who exactly is this retreat for?  I mean exactly.  

 

PAIN/PROBLEM: What is happening in their life that makes them need this experience?

 

PROMISE: What will you help them experience, change, discover, or accomplish, and why are YOU the person to help them?  How will they be different after attending your retreat? 

 

If you can't clearly answer those questions, you're not ready to build the retreat yet.

 

4. Build Your Keyword + SEO Strategy

Don't wait until your retreat is finished to ask how you're going to market it.

 

Research what your PERSON is actually searching for.

 

Google.

ChatGPT.

YouTube.

Pinterest.

 

Build your retreat language around the words your potential guests use, not simply the words you like.

 

5. Build Your Confidence

You don't have to start with a five-night international retreat.

 

Start with a workshop.

 

Then a half-day experience.

 

Then a full day.

 

Then a weekend.

 

Build your ability to facilitate, manage a group, hold space, troubleshoot, and lead before dramatically increasing the complexity.

 

6. Add PLACE + PRICE + LEGAL

Once the first three P's are clear and while you're building confidence, start working on the other two.

 

PLACE: Where should this retreat happen based on your guest, your promise, accessibility, experience, and budget?

 

PRICE: What does this retreat ACTUALLY cost, and what do you need to charge to make a real profit?

 

Not revenue.  Profit.

 

This is also when contracts, waivers, insurance, cancellation policies, vendor agreements, and other legal and risk considerations become critical.

 

7. Build the Post-Retreat Plan Before the Retreat

Your retreat shouldn't be the end of the relationship.

 

Ask:

What happens next?

Could guests move into coaching?

A mastermind?

A membership?

Another retreat?

An ongoing community?

 

A retreat can create transformation and revenue today while also becoming the beginning of a much longer customer relationship.

 

Key Takeaways

 

Don't Start With Place

This is one of the biggest mistakes new retreat leaders make.

 

They fall in love with a location and then try to build a retreat around it.

 

Start with the person.

 

Your Retreat Needs a Problem and a Promise

"Come relax with us" isn't enough.

 

Why does your person need this retreat, and what are you promising to help them move toward?

 

Marketing Starts Before Your Landing Page

Keyword strategy isn't something you add after you've built your retreat. What people are searching for can help shape your positioning, messaging, content, and offer from the beginning.

 

You Don't Have to Start Big

Confidence comes from experience.

 

There is nothing wrong with leading 12 people through an incredible three-hour workshop before asking 20 people to fly across the world with you.

 

Revenue Isn't Profit

A $50,000 retreat that costs $48,000 to produce isn't a $50,000 success story.

 

Know your numbers.

 

Think Beyond Checkout

A profitable retreat business isn't necessarily built by hosting more and more retreats.

 

The retreat can become the entry point into a much larger business ecosystem.

 

 

The Retreat Leaders Podcast Resources and Links:

• Join our Mastermind in Austin!
• Learn to Host Retreats
• Join our private Facebook Group
• Get your legal docs for retreats
• Join our LinkedIn Group
• Apply to be a guest on our show
• Get your retreat Audited. 
• My two favorite social media tools: Metricool and ManyChat 

Thanks for tuning into the Retreat Leaders Podcast. Remember to subscribe for more insightful episodes, and visit our website for additional resources. Let’s create a vibrant retreat community together!

 

Subscribe:

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TIMESTAMPS

Introduction to Hosting Retreats (00:00:02) Shannon Jamail introduces the podcast and the episode's topic: how to start hosting retreats when you don't know where to start.

Step 1: Attend a Retreat (00:01:11) The first step is to experience retreats as a guest to understand what you like, what you don't, and what's important.

Step 2: Work at a Retreat (00:05:03) Gain behind-the-scenes experience by volunteering or working at a retreat to learn the operational side of hosting.

Step 3: Do the Pre-Work (00:07:09) Define your ideal guest (person), their struggles (pain), and how your retreat will transform them (promise).

Step 4: Build a Marketing Strategy (00:10:56) Develop a keyword and SEO strategy based on your pre-work to create content for your landing page, social media, and blogs.

Step 5: Build Your Confidence (00:15:23) Start with smaller events like workshops or day retreats to build confidence in your execution, pricing, and ability to sell out.

Step 6: Place, Price, and Legal (00:20:13) Choose a location you're comfortable with, price for profit, and ensure you have legal essentials like waivers, contracts, and insurance.

Step 7: Create a Post-Retreat Plan (00:22:51) Develop a plan to nurture your relationship with guests after the retreat, including follow-up offers and creating an alumni community.